1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bolsters for railway cars.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bolsters for railway cars are old and well known. Typically, a bolster is one of two primary load-bearing crossbeams attached to the center sill of a railway car adjacent a point of attachment of the center sill to a truck having one or more wheel and axle assemblies for rollingly supporting the car body and any lading on the car body.
Bolsters are normally formed in two sections. Each section has one end rigidly affixed in a butted relationship to the side of the center sill and the opposite end is extended laterally outwardly from the center sill. The two sections are aligned on each of two sides of the center sill to form a transverse support beam having upper support surfaces at substantially the same height or level as the upper surface of the center sill. A floor structure is normally engaged with those upper surfaces to provide a support platform for cargo to be transported by the railway car.
Typically, a vertically upwardly extending bolster post used to support the side of the car is attached to each of the bolster sections at the laterally outer end of each section. A portion of each bolster post normally extends downward below the floor structure to engage and be affixed to the outer end of the bolster.